new member that needs help in deciding if surgery is right for me - ThinnerTimes

wildeklave · 02-13-2007, 12:40 PM

Hello

I will preface by saying I am 5 9 and weight a little over 300lbs. I go to the gym about 4 times a week to do a lot of cardio and some muscle toning. I am no longer able to jog for more than 3-4 minutes. Office chairs, movies, bus, and plane seats are very tight. I ask for an extender on planes. My BMI is probably over 40.

5 years ago I went from 250 down to 186 using the LA Weigthloss diet plan. I kept the weight off for 2 years but as I gradually migrated away from the plan, along with stress I gained weight. First I went to 220 than 240, 260, and have been over 280 for almost 3 years. I am an emotional overeater. When I stick to a diet, I lose weight. My problem is binging. I like food (Pizza, cheeseburgers, pasta, and my big weakness is snacking).

I thought about the gastric bypass surgery but my doctor is opposed to surgey knowing my weight problems are in my head. I see some people go to Mexico for surgery which I will not do since I would want to see one of the best doctors in the US. Just today I read an article that Charlie Weis (Notre Dame football coach) had surgey a couple of years ago. He had complications but did lose some weight. He is by no means thin. He was 350 and may be 275 now. If dropping from 300 to 230 is the expected result then the surgey is a waste to me and I should be strictly dieting instead. If I can drop under 180, then the surgey may be a solution.

For those who have had surgery, do you really have to not eat certain foods the rest of your life? There are times at events when the food available is not on your specific diet, how do you cope?

Please give me your thoughts.

Anyone on this board from NJ that would like to tell me about their experiences and let me know which doctor they used?

chilmoe · 02-13-2007, 01:45 PM

no one can tell you if the surgery is right for you, that is a personal decision

i can tell you in my opinion you need to do more research, search this board, perhaps www.obesityhelp.com as well.

this surgery is not a quick fix, not for those without any will power, not for those looking for a cure for weightloss, this surgery provides us with a tool, thats it, it helps us with portion control, for me it was like starting over, a new start if you will, a chance to learn proper eating habits and get my health under control.

yes there are certain foods you have to avoid after surgery (ones i should have avoided all along)....yes you may find yourself in events that dont offer good choices, that is why you must plan ahead. That is a big part of eating well after surgery, you plan your meals for the day, stick to it. Some of us count calories/fat grams etc.

there is much information offered here on this board, you just have to look for it, there is a search button on the top and you can put in any topic and will get lots of threads to read.

good luck

wildeklave · 02-13-2007, 01:56 PM

thanks chilmoe

I have been going through the board. I saw fitday.com which will defintely help. I am using the board as a tool to decide if this is the tool for me. I totally kno that if I get surgery that my eating habits will totally need to change. I am also hoping that my body wil benefit from it, meaning that with a smaller stomache that I cannot eat as much and maybe even digest better.

ready4achange · 02-13-2007, 04:54 PM

You can also check out www.sparkpeople.com
It helps you track what you are eating, your water intake, gives you exercise ideas and also gives you food plans also if you want.
I decided on this surgery because I am 53 years old and highest weight was 334 and I didn't see myself getting lower only bigger. I knew that I was going to change alot of things, especially what I ate. This surgery is only a "tool' to get you started . If you don't work "the tool" you will also fail. Grazing will quickly mess up your tool. I had open rny . I had been thinking about lap band but after talking to the surgeon I realized that I could probably out eat it. So I went with the rny. If I have too many gm sugar or too many carbs I get very sleepy ( mini dump for me) I have not attempted to 'test" my limit. I am down 112 highest weight and 99 pounds since pre op surgery weigh in. I have a profile on http://www.obesityhelp.com/member/ready4achange/you are welcome to check it out. It took me over two years to make my decision and I am glad I did. Now I wish I had looked into it sooner.
Good Luck,
Sandy

bloomer001 · 02-13-2007, 05:31 PM

I always said I would never have this surgery, if I couldn't control my eating on my own, why would surgery make a difference? I tried everything I would loose weight, gain weight, binge, be miserable with myself and my eating. I finally admitted I needed help. I asked my doctor and together we tried a few things (WW and OA first, and then some therapy) nothing seemed to be working very well, still the loosing and gaining. I spent 3 years researching surgery before I finally told her I was ready. She was happy to help me. I will admit, I have been very lucky, just one complication so far, a burning type feeling in my pouch. No insurance problems, nothing. I can eat anything I want, but some things don't 'sit' right, like chicken and seafood. I don't have a problem with sugar, it just makes me tired. I just don't have that desire to eat as much as I used too. I have learned to make healthy choices and small choices.

I would have this surgery again in a minute, but I would never tell anyone else to have it. As others have said you must make that decision on your own by deciding what is best for you. Do the research and spend some time really thinking about it. Everyone here is great and will answer any questions you have, and sometimes be brutally honest if you need it

Gina in NY · 02-13-2007, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildeklave

thanks chilmoe

I have been going through the board. I saw fitday.com which will defintely help. I am using the board as a tool to decide if this is the tool for me. I totally kno that if I get surgery that my eating habits will totally need to change. I am also hoping that my body wil benefit from it, meaning that with a smaller stomache that I cannot eat as much and maybe even digest better.

Where in NJ are you??

I agree with the others - this is just a tool - but it is a good one if you use it right. My surgeon says the bypass does about 20% of the work, the rest is you. But with all the successful folks on this board, looks like the 20% is all we needed.

There are no garuntees with this surgery at all. You may be able to eat anything, you may not. Luck of the draw. But you will have a much smaller stomach and you will have malabsorbtion with the bypassed portion of your intestines.

If you are ready to completely change your life, it may be right for you. But if you are not ready to put down the food and let it become a "not so important" part of your life, think more. You will have to know yourself to know if this is right for you.

LisaBoston · 02-13-2007, 08:15 PM

Only you will be able to decide if this is right for you. I know with my families medical history and my weight loss/gain history and yo/yo ing for years...it was the right one for me.

Are there foods I can't eat...yes. I can eat them, but they make me ill and I am SO GLAD that they do. There are lots of foods that I don't eat anymore because I choose too. I could probably eat "some" but don't want to. For example the foods I choose have good nutritional value...does this mean I don't slip and have the occasional potato chip..no. I have had a few over the past year, but not a whole box like before. Its all about moderation. My taste buds have changed since surgery.

I have no regrets at all. I am happy that certain foods bother me, its one of the main reason I choose RNY over other procedures. I loved food...all kinds of food, and that hasn't changed, its just that food doesn't run my life anymore.

Having food around me all the time is reality. I don't keep boxes of potato chips in the house, however there is a chip machine at work that I have not been into since surgery. You can't hide from food for the rest of your life, so I am learning to live in this world surrounded by food.

I eat, I live life better than I have in years. Is it always easy...no.....it never is regardless of what you do - I wouldn't change a thing that has happened to me since surgery.

SD_Johnsons · 02-14-2007, 03:49 PM

one of the items you have to do to be approved for the surgery is a psych evaluation and you have already said that you are an emotional eater. I would recommend that you deal with the emotional part of eating first and then re-think the surgery. The reason is, even after the surgery, you will still be faced with the issues that have made you turn to food. What will you do when you can't eat sugar because you will get sick? These are some of the issues that I talked with my therapist about and also talk to other women about who are looking to have the surgery. BTW- I am a therapist and recommend dealing with the emotional issues first because they will be there triple after the surgery.

Debz · 02-14-2007, 05:06 PM

Making the decision to have surgery, like everyone else has said, is a very personal one. I could spit all of the statistics that I found when I went on my imformational journey to you, but those would be the statistics that wound up being important to me...they might not be at all relevant to you in making your decision.

I immersed myself in research...I started at the doctors web sites, then read pertinent medical journal reports, and lastly, found this forum to actually learn about real people's experience. I also really looked for negative outcomes of the surgery, so that I could be fully informed before making the choice. good luck to you

John · 02-14-2007, 05:59 PM

wildeklave,
This is a very indirect response to your post... but I just wanted to point out that if you find any posts on here that are particularly helpful, you can scroll to the bottom of the page and should find a box that says "Similar Threads". This is really helpful if you are looking for specific topics or related discussions to the post that you are reading.

Best wishes,
John Callery